Process for preparing a polyarylene thioether

Abstract

A process for preparing a substantially straight-chain polyarylene thioether by polymerizing a diphenyldisulfide of the formula ##STR1## in the presence of a lewis acid catalyst at temperatures of between -20° C. and 50° C.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for preparing a substantially straight chain polyarylene thioether, which comprises polymerizing monomers consisting essentially of a diphenyldisulfide having the formula ##STR5## wherein S is sulfur atom and each of four groups R is a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, halogen atom and lower alkoxy group, the groups R may be different from or identical with each other, in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst at a temperature of between -20° C.-50° C. 
     
     
       2. The process according to claim 1, wherein R in said formula [II] is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or halogen atom. 
     
     
       3. The process according to claim 1, wherein said Lewis acid catalyst comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum chloride, titanium tetrachloride, antimony pentachoride and tungsten hexachloride. 
     
     
       4. A process according to claim 1, wherein said temperature is -5°-50° C.